Daily Police Blotter: Father of Slain Girl Known to CPS

Receive the latest local updates in your inbox

Here's a daily list of recent activities drawing the attention of North Texas law enforcement. List compiled on Dec. 30, 2009.

FATHER ACCUSED OF KILLING DAUGHTER ON CHRISTMAS HAD CPS HISTORY: POLICE
A Denton County man accused of fatally shooting his 10-year-old daughter while recklessly handling a revolver has been investigated repeatedly by Child Protective Services. Authorities said they believe he had been drinking when he fired the shot, but a state investigator told the Denton Record-Chronicle there's no indication it was intentional homicide. Duke Lawrence Watrous, 36, of Oak Point, remained jailed Wednesday on charges of manslaughter, criminal negligence and tampering with evidence. According to court records, Watrous and the girl's mother have been investigated on child abuse and neglect allegations since 2003. Watrous' attorney did not immediately return a call for comment. Read more in Denton Record Chronicle.

Plano Home Destroyed by Fire

JEWEL THIEVES ROB STORE OF $6M IN JEWELRY, COINSLewisville police are searching for two men who pulled off a $6 million jewelry heist at Harold's Jewelers in Lewisville early Tuesday. Read more on NBCDFW.com.

FIRE DESTROYS PLANO HOME
A fire destroyed a home on the 7800 Ludwig Castle Way on Wednesday. The first calls came into the Plano Fire Department at 12:51 p.m. from the homeowner and a neighbor. The one-alarm fire left only a shell of the home behind. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is not yet known. See photos from the fire here.

Celebrity-Signed Guitars Stolen

AUTOGRAPHED GUITARS MEANT FOR CHARITY STOLEN
Garland police are looking for the thieves who made off with more than 60 celebrity-autographed guitars meant to benefit the Friends of Purtis Creek State Park. Burglars broke into Uncle Bob's Self Storage according to the Dallas Morning News and stole instruments signed by Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley and Trace Adkins to name a few. Anyone with information is urged to call Garland police. Read more on DallasNews.com.

CAR COMPUTER MAY OFFER CLUES IN DEADLY CRASHInvestigators in Southlake hope the onboard computer from the wrecked 2008 Toyota Avalon will give them clues about the cause of Saturday's accident that left four people dead. Monty Hardy, 56, and Hadassah Vance, 36, died when the car careened through a fence and flipped into a pond near Lonesome Dove Rd. and Burney Ln. Wendy Akion, 38, Sharon Ransom, 56, died later that night at the hospital. Because the Avalon was upside-down in water it will be difficult to determine if problems with Toyota's recalled floor mats caused the car to accelerate uncontrollably. The Star-Telegram reports investigators hope the car's computer can tell them more about speed, acceleration and braking at the time of the accident. Read more in the Star-Telegram.

FORT WORTH OFFICER HITS CAR WHILE RESPONDING TO CALL
A Fort Worth police officer on his way to an emergency call collided his patrol car with another car Wednesday afternoon. The collision occurred at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Riverside Drive in east Fort Worth. The officer and the driver of the other car were taken to a local hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be serious. The crash is under investigation.

THIEVES STEAL OLE MISS CHEERLEADER'S UNIFORM
Thieves almost stole an Ole Miss cheerleader's chance to cheer at the Cotton Bowl. Almost everything was stolen from Gresham Hodges' black sport utility vehicle while it was parked outside her family's house in Dallas' Lakewood neighborhood. But her coach has scavenged up enough uniform pieces to put her back on the field. Read this story on NBCDFW.com.

COPS: PLEASE DON'T FIRE GUNS ON NEW YEAR'S EVE
Police departments say the random gunfire that's become a New Year's Eve tradition in some neighborhoods is illegal and dangerous. Fort Worth is making automated phone calls to people in areas where it has been a problem in the past. Dallas has declared "zero tolerance" of gunfire on New Year's Eve. Police said they will look for people shooting in celebration of the New Year. Shooters could face a fine and jail time and have their guns confiscated. Watch a video report on NBCDFW.com.